Dr. Jeffrey S. Ashley
Office: Coleman 2335
Phone: 581-8418
Email: cfjsa@eiu.edu

COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course aims at highlighting the mechanisms and complexities of American government and politics at the state and local levels.  This survey course hopes to expose students to some theoretical approaches within the field, focusing upon important issues and debates in American politics at the state and local level.  This course will enable the student to understand the workings of state and local governments, and in doing so, broaden the student’s ability to interpret the workings of state politics in the communities in which they live.  This course is also designed to provide you with the most useful up-to-date assessment of state and local politics.  The states and their localities have increasingly played a more significant and visible role in American politics and thus need to be critically examined.  Historical and contemporary contexts, federal-state relations, privatization, state-local dynamics, state and regional comparisons, political economy, interests, and politics in Michigan will be a few of the recurring themes in the course.  Perhaps most importantly, the course will help students better understand and appreciate what it means to be a civic leader.

REQUIRED  READINGS:
The basic materials for this course, which are required of every student, are:
(1) Bowman and Kearney, State and Local Government, 5th ed., 2001.

(2) George McKenna, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Political Issues, 12th ed., 2000.

(3) The Chicago Tribune (read this daily!!) The Tribune can be found on-line at http://www.chicagotribune.com
 Read the following sections (at the very least):
  - Latest News (main page)
  - Other Top Headlines (main page)
  - Editorials and Opinions (link to this section from main page)

OFFICE HOURS:  My office is located in Coleman Hall room 2335.  My office hours are: MF 3:00-4:00 and Th 4:00-6:00.  Other hours are available during the week by appointment.  My office phone is: 581-8418.  If you wish to reach me via Email, which is the preferred way to contact me, my e-mail address is: cfjsa@eiu.edu.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Be here

EVALUATION:
Examinations:
    There will be three exams throughout the semester (including the final which will not be cumulative).  Each exam will be worth 100 points for a total of 300 points.
    Make-up exams will be allowed only for excused absences.  They will normally be more difficult and will be administered only in the last week of classes.  Failure to take an exam or make it up at the
    appropriate time will result in a zero.  Religious holidays, family deaths, and medical excuses that can be validated are the only obvious acceptable excuses for missing exams, presentations, and class.

Quizzes:
    There will be weekly quizzes over assigned readings.  The quizzes will add up to 50 points over the course of the semester.

Research Paper/Presentation:
    Students are to write a research paper and present their findings to the class.  (Details can be found on the last page of the syllabus).  The paper is worth 90 points and the presentation is worth 10
    points for a total of 100 points

GRADING:
Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
“A” =   90-100%
“B” =  80-89%
“C” =   70-79%
“D” =   60-69%
“F” =   below 60%
 

EXTRA CREDIT: Students may earn extra credit by attending public lectures of visiting speakers at EIU (or in the outside community) on topics directly related to state and local government and local issues over the course of the semester and writing a summary and critique of the lecture.  These critiques should be typed and doubled-spaced and must be one to two pages in length.  Be sure to give the name of the speaker, the title of the lecture, and the date of the presentation at the top of the first page.  Each student critique is worth up to five (5) points.  No more than twenty (20) extra points may be earned in this fashion.  Critiques must be turned into the instructor no later than one week (7 calendar days) after the lecture is given.
 

CLASS SCHEDULE: The following should be considered a class reading schedule.  If you keep up with these readings on the dates assigned, you will never be behind.  Please take into consideration that this is a tentative course outline and is subject to change as determined by the instructor.
WEEK          DATE                         TOPIC                                          ASSIGNMENT

     1               1/7                           Introduction                                        Bowman, Ch. 1
                                                                                                                 Issues 11 & 18

     2              1/14                          Federalism                                          Bowman, Ch. 2
                                                                                                                 Issues 1 & 17

     3              1/21                          State Constitutions                              Bowman, Ch. 3
                      (No class on Monday – Martin Luther King, Jr.)                  Issue 12
                      on-line version of the Illinois Constitution

     4              1/28                          Participation & Elections                     Bowman, Ch. 4
                                                                                                                Issues 3&4

     5              2/4                           Parties and Interest Groups                  Bowman, Ch. 5
                     EXAM #1 on Wednesday 2/6 (over ch. 1-5)
                      (No class on Friday – Lincoln)
 

     6              2/11                          State Legislatures                               Bowman, Ch. 6
                                                                                                                Issues 4& 5

     7              2/18                          Executives/Governors                         Bowman, Ch. 7
                                                                                                                Issues 6 & 10

     8              2/25                          Budgeting & The Bureaucracy            Bowman, Ch. 8
                       (No class Friday – I will be at the MIG simulation in Springfield)

     9              3/4                            State Courts                                        Bowman Ch. 9
                                                                                                                 Issues 7 & 16

     10             3/11                          SPRING BREAK                               RELAX
 

     11              3/18                          Local Governments                           Bowman Ch. 10 &11
                         EXAM #2 on Friday 3/22 (over ch. 6-12)                      Skim 12
 

     12              3/25                          Education Policy                               Bowman Ch. 15
                                                                                                                Issues 13 & 14

     13              4/1                              Criminal Justice                               Bowman Ch. 16
                                                          Health and Welfare                          Bowman Ch. 17
                                                                                                                 Issues 8, 9, & 15

     14              4/8                              Environmental Policy                       Bowman Ch. 18

     15              4/15                             Presentations

     16              4/22                             Presentations

     17                                                  FINALS WEEK
                                                          the scheduled exam time for this class is Wednesday, May 1 at 2:45

*please note the this syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion!!!
 
 

Research Paper & Presentation - State and Local Government/Politics
Students are to write a research paper on any political issue that is recent or on-going. Examples include, but are not limited to, concealed weapons, death penalty, privatization, euthanasia, abortion, charter schools, environmental concerns, etc.

paper (100 points)
Format:
 1) all papers will be 9-10 pages, typed, double-spaced, with one inch margins.
 2) all papers will use endnotes - - not footnotes or in-text citation.
      (If you are not sure how to do this, please see me).
 3) all papers will include a minimum of 15 varied sources (not all internet sources).
 4) all papers will include a bibliography after the endnotes.
 5) all papers will make use of headings for major sections.

Content:
 all papers will include (in this order):
 - Introduction
       - discussion of the topic (what is it?), history of the topic, why it matters, when did it become an issue, etc.
 - The players involved in the debate (direct and indirect)
       - which interests (groups) are served on each side, why are they involved
       - winners vs. losers - - who benefits, who doesn’t, why?
 - The primary arguments presented by each side of the debate
 - Your feelings on the issue
       - which side do you believe in?  Why?  How does such a position benefit you?
 - Future of the issue/Conclusion

research presentation (10 points)
Each student will give a short 5-6 minute presentation to the class over the topic they have written about.  The grading of each individual student will be based on the following: (1)  Does the student demonstrate a knowledge of the topic?  (2)  Can the student support his or her position on the policy topic with the appropriate academic and professional sources that are available?  (3) Is the information presented in a clear, concise, well-organized and interesting manner?  (4)  Does the presentation show evidence that the student researched this topic area?
 

University Policies

Learning Disabilities/Physical Challenges Policy
 Students with disabilities who require special accommodation are encouraged to meet with the instructor during the first week of class.  For further assistance or information, please contact the EIU Office of Disability Services at 581-6583.

Student Assistance
 The purpose of both the EIU Counseling Center and the EIU Learning Assistance Center is to help you obtain maximum educational benefit from your time here.  The support offered enables students to obtain help for both academic and personal problems.  The Learning Assistance Center (581-6696) can help with individual tutoring for academic needs.  The Counseling Center (581-3413) has a staff available to assist you with any personal problems which might arise.  College can be a very stressful experience, and I would encourage anyone to take advantage of these services when they feel the need.

Academic Integrity
 The university takes an extremely serious view of violations of academic integrity.  As members of the academic community, EIU’s administration, faculty, staff, and students are dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of honesty and are committed to maintaining the academic integrity essential to the educational process.  Inherent in this commitment is the belief that academic dishonesty in all forms violates the basic principles of integrity and impedes learning.

 It is the responsibility of individual faculty members to identify instances of academic dishonesty and recommend penalties to the department chair or college dean in keeping with the severity of the violation.  At a minimum, academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for this course.